time to reach a new level!

It's been almost two years since the last competition and my count down to the next one is here!!

It has been a slow start to get the momentum rolling, but the goal has been in the back of mind. I was looking for inspiration to feel that surge of energy that drives any goal. Truthfully, I was having a hard time, but I did not want to lose sight of my personal ambitions even though I was not quite "feeling it".  I seemed to be in a rut and was just "going through the motions". Have you ever felt that way? So, I turned to thinking of resources that would help "jump start" me.

First, I started with  the "fake it til you make it!" My umph was not quite there, but taking action is a sure fire way to get the crawl to a run. Then, I relied on the "buddy system". Truly, it is more fun to challenge ourselves when we do it together. So, I invited friends to train and this was by far the best thing for me. My girl, Tara, whom just had a baby about 7 months ago was on her own goals and ambitions and we really relied on one another for inspiration.

Right after a great CrossFit workout, where we had fun running 400 meters (and other fun lifts) in the rain!!

This time I have chosen the North American Championships, https://garyudit.com/new/ifbb-north-american-championships-2015-info/.

So, here we go just 6 weeks to go!!! Wish me luck!!

For the love of fitness,

:) Meche

steps to the fountain of YOUth

Here's one of the pics I submitted.
Thank you AJ Morton for being an
awesome photographer!

Last year, I adopted a fierce "stick-to-it-iv-ness" into my fitness regimen that helped me reach my health goals. As I checked off each fitness goal on my list, higher expectations I set for myself became easier to accomplish. The people in my life were my main source of motivation—they cheered for me and continually sparked my drive. It's true, at times, I walked in the shadows of others, but we all need that sometime. What I learned is that it is always a balance of give-and-take—to support and, when needed, to be supported.

This is one of those times where I'm asking you for your support. I have a new endeavor to share and I could use your help. Oh, and did I mention that it's time sensitive?

Sooooo, I decided to go outside my comfort zone and submit my figure competition photos to a fitness magazine for consideration for their magazine cover. I will be competing with other fitness chicks half my age. Eeek! I'm a little intimidated, but sometimes we gotta put ourselves out there, right?!

Okay, here's the dealio....I would be absolutely grateful for your support through a vote. Actually 5 votes! And, daily until 2/28. Crazy, huh? :) The contest is by Status Fitness Magazine. They allow voting up to FIVE TIMES per 24-hour period per person, until the contest ends February 28. If you can manage it, I would appreciate your daily votes. The top five contestants with the most votes by the end of the month will move on to the finals!! 

Status Fitness Magazine is one of those industry specific that writes on the in's and out's of body building!

To vote you will need to Log In at www.statusfitnessmagazine.com and create an account. Then go to my profile page at: http://www.statusfitnessmagazine.com/model/contest/mechelle-haflich. Scroll to the bottom of my profile page and click the vote box 5 TIMES.  :) 

I'm hoping to show that being in your 40s is the new 20s!!! Also, I'd like to get some momentum with the voting requirements, so if you would be so kind as to share this with your friends that would be AWESOME!!!

To thank everyone for helping me out I want to offer a 25% off "I VOTED FOR MECHE" discount.... to a massage or training session until the end of February. (I know your pointer finger will be tired after all those clicks! Ha!) Is that a bribe?! LOL! Truly, I just appreciate your support so much I want to return the favor. As well, I'm going to do an Aniti-Aging 10-Day Series on my Blog (http://trainwithmeche.blogspot.com) and feature the 10-Day Challenge group. Enter your email in the "subscribe box" of my Blog to get the "Anti-Aging" letters.

achievements should be celebrated... so join us this Saturday!!

To Celebrate

The Completion of Heather's 30 Day Transformation!

Please Join Meche & Heather

for some delicious food & conversation

Uchenna

2501 W Colorado Ave

(in Old Colorado City)

7pm

Saturday

 January 18, 2014

If you have encouraged, followed, or sponsored

 Heather would like to thank you in person

If you are interested in doing something similar,

We would like to encourage you to join us and we can answer any questions you may have

Please RSVP by 1/15/14

 (so we can make sure there is room for you at our table!)

Take Care,

Heather & Meche

Heather's results after the 30-Day BODY TRANSFORMATION

The 30-Day Body Transformation

"Wow!" Are my thoughts as I admire the transformation Heather went through. 

The experience of achieving a fitness goal can lift the spirit in amazing ways. It's the little things, like being able to zip up a pair of "use-to-be-tight" jeans, to big things such as building confidence in one's own abilities. In the end, you get to say, "I did it!" And, that is huge! People often begin a journey but they don't always see it through to the end, leading to that feeling of always trying, trying, and trying again. Heather did it! Not only did Heather show significant changes in her waist line, but also an enhanced fitness ability. I noticed her drive to "push" increased with each workout as they became easier and easier. Her results showed that she became stronger and faster at everything she did.

I'm extremely proud of Heather and honored to be a part of her journey. Her experience taught me that there are many ways to gain focus of a mission. Heather's thoughts on what she learned from this program speaks volumes on why a 30 Day commitment can make all the difference.

Congratulations Heather! You are amazing!! 
~Meche Haflich, FitBody Studio Owner

Heather Before the 30-Day Program - 12/1/13

Heather AFTER the 30-Day Program - 1/3/14

HEATHER ON 12/1/13

Weight: 168.2

Height: 5'2"

Body Fat: 35.4%

Lean Body Mass: 107.3 lbs.

Body Fat Mass: 58.8 lbs.
Waist: 39.5 inches
Hips: 44 inches

HEATHER ON 1/3/14

Weight: 159.6 (Achievement: Lost 8.6 pounds)

Height: 5'2"

Body Fat: 31.4% (Achievement: Lost 4% Body Fat)

Lean Body Mass: 109.3 lbs. (Achievement: gained 2 pounds of MUSCLE)

Body Fat Mass: 50.2 lbs. (Achievement: lost 8 pounds of FAT)
Waist: 37 inches (Achievement: lost 2 1/2 inches around her waist)
Hips: 44 inches (Achievement: lost 1 1/4 inches around her hips)

What I learned during the 30 Day Transformation

I feel like I have so many things to relate to readers of this blog, i almost don't know where to begin. Let me start with the BIGGEST overall thing (besides Meche’s mentoring) that has contributed to my success.  

An image Heather created that we will use
in the 30-Day Body Transformation Booklet.

WHY I IMMERSED MYSELF FOR 30 DAYS:

In the beginning, I set out with a goal of losing some weight, but this transformation has become so much more than that.  

I have been completely immersed in the language of fitness.  Having faced the challenge, I no longer have to search my thoughts for the correct "answer" on how to conquer it.  Through repetition, I now know the "answer" instinctively.  I don’t speak the language fluently, but I am becoming quite proficient, and confident enough to try speaking it on my own, in my daily interactions.

I have begun to experience the kind of happy feeling that comes from completely losing myself in an activity.  I didn’t ever think I would like running or working out.  It all felt like a chore.  Lately though, I have found myself smiling during my cardio intervals.  I don’t know if you can get runners high on a treadmill, but sometimes I get so lost in the activity, I surprise myself.  Me?  Enjoy this?  I have always been thrilled when a workout ends.  Usually thinking “Thank goodness that’s over with!”  It is quite a new sensation to enjoy the working out and I am so grateful for it.

I have had a full immersion baptism in SWEAT! 

My thoughts before fitbody: "Exercising and Eating Clean?  That’s for models or health nuts who don’t know how to enjoy life!"  Little did I know that a year and a half later, I would consider this lifestyle to be anything but skin deep.  The people who pursue better health, whom I have met during my journey, are among the deepest, kindest, and most full-of-life folks I have yet known.  This isn’t a coincidence I think.    

Sometimes the girl who ascends the stairs from the basement weight room at FitBody Studio is a different girl than the one who descended an hour before.  If I am in the midst of a battle in my heart or mind or have conflicting emotions or grudges, you can be assured that it is always resolved by the end of a workout.  I don’t know what it is exactly, but sometimes when I feel weak or petty, I can recall the sensation of pushing beyond what I thought my limit was during a workout and I think “I am better than this!”

Immersed in the Joy of Cooking a simple Meal.

Preparing good food is amazing too.  By the time I started this transformation, my hubby and I had consumed so much carry out and fast food, (we were on a pretty crazy schedule) that our first Sit-Down-at-the-Table-and-eat-a-Home-cooked-Meal experience was amazing.  We have more enjoyment in the art of a simple dinner.  I am not an excellent cook, but I am very good at following directions.  Developing this connection to the food that nourishes my body has been an important part of my journey too.

MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH IMMERSION

Spiritual Immersion:  I first learned the word “IMMERSION” in a religious context, when I witnessed my dad perform a full immersion baptism at a swimming pool, because there wasn’t a “dunk tank” (as I call it) at the base chapel.  The individual was tilted back and submerged completely under the water.  In my understanding as a child, this was symbolic of burying your old self and rising up as a person made new in faith.

Learning Immersion:  When I entered High School, I studied both Spanish and German every year until I graduated.  Although I became proficient enough, I never developed a deep understanding of the language and in fact have forgotten a lot of what I learned.  One of the methods we were encouraged to pursue for learning to speak a language fluently was “immersion”, often through a study abroad program in which you live for several months completely surrounded by the language, usually with a family that spoke the language as their first language.

The Joy of Immersion:  The most recent thing I have learned about “immersion” was in a documentary on happiness called Happy.  A recurring message I gleaned was about something called “flow” when you lose yourself in an activity so much that it is effortless and enjoyable.  I have felt this feeling of being completely lost in this joy when I paint, and now I am learning that the joy of immersion is not limited to painting.

I now know that to become a master of any skill, immersion is the key to success!

SPONSORS

FitBody Studio

Status Symbol Auto Body

Concrete Expressions

staying dedicated and finding rewards of another kind...

Heather's 30-Day Body Transformation

When you accept a commitment, experience the ups and downs, discover the tricks to keep you focused, jump the hurdles, and acknowledge your successes, you become your own best ally. Much of the success is made by a decision in your head. As you make decisions that get you closer to your goal, you gain the realization that you CAN accomplish anything. I believe that Heather has created this kind of thoughtful dedication.  She has showed true commitment during the Transformation, especially through the Holiday's and her birthday, which was January 1st.  I was out of town for the holidays so the workout and nutrition tactics were completely up to Heather, really it has been all along. I contacted Heather while I was out of town and she shared how she conquered! It is amazing how staying true to ourselves is one of the most rewarding things we can do. ~Meche

As we near the close of the transformation the  motto we discover is this....

The Motto we gain at the
end of a journey!

Heather's Journal In Week 4

SATURDAY iS DAY 30!

This has been a difficult and very very fantastically rewarding journey!  

Difficulties:  The biggest difficulty this past week was Christmas, New Years and my Birthday.  As I have mentioned before, I have very strong connection to food as a way to celebrate, relax, and reward myself.  In the past, when I could not find a way to distract myself from holiday goodies or lack thereof, I would occasionally feel a little down.  

The pink highlights are hard to see, but
they are there! :) 

Solutions:  I have had to remind myself that there are many great ways to reward myself that don’t involve food, and there are also incredibly delicious foods that I can still consume…. Well, I don’t know if you consider coffee a food, but it is a delicious substance that I have turned to for comfort throughout this journey. How I found rewards: January 1^st was my 32^nd Birthday!  It is absolutely true that I really wanted to eat cake on my birthday.  Instead, I decided to reflect on the fact that according to my data (home scale) I am 14 pounds lighter than I was on my 31^st birthday.  Instead of cake, I treated myself to a spa day.  I had a fancy mineral bath (thanks Cindy!), gave myself a facial, and added some pink highlights to my hair.  Fun!    

Moving Forward:

My journey is not over yet, not by a long shot.  I want to lose more weight, gain more strength, do more than 5 real pushups, and be able to do just one real pull up.  So, needless to say, I have my work cut out for me!

This weekend, the husband and I will have a quick out of town trip to celebrate the end of this first big step.  On Monday, I will continue with my work: increasing my cardio endurance, continuing my strength training with Meche, learning to cook more healthy and delicious foods, and focus on expanding my art portfolio.

I am holding myself accountable to everyone who has read, encouraged and sponsored me on this journey. I look forward to checking back with you all soon as I continue to get results.  Thank you! 

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year,

Heather

Sometimes when I run, I feel like I may understand why our dogs are
so happy when we let them off leash.  Here is Mazzy.  I don't think she is even
aware of her own body, just the thrill of running as fast as she can :)

Another painting... 4' x 5'.  The stronger I get the
longer I last with paint brush in hand. 

The photos of my food didn't turn out very appetizing.  But here is
an example of some home cooking: the thanksgiving dinner
we made: chicken and garlic. Yum!

the roller coaster of weight-loss and the evil perpetrator

Taking a ride on the fitness side can be similar to a ride on a roller coaster. The first dip on the ride is fun and exciting! This is similar to how we feel when we see our weight drop. In the beginning, progress will often show huge drops on the scale. Yay! It's like wind beneath our wings and we can feel on top of the world. 

Heather reported some frustration at the end of week three due to less of a weight drop than the first two weeks. Instead of losing three pounds, she only lost one pound. Oh, the woes of the scale!  The scale is evil and I have seen it make a woman cry, feel bad, and curse herself!  Know this: The scale is mischievous and devious! Stay on the ride as you rise and fall because what it says really has nothing to do with how you progress. Knowing your body fat percentage is a much better "scale" than how much you weight.

I asked Heather how she felt her over-alI progress was going, from her energy to how her clothes fit. She said she could "feel" her progress, her energy felt good and her clothes felt much better. But, I could hear her reply sound disappointed. These are glorious achievements and so much more important!! 

Life should be full of a few things love, dreams and health! With this as the focus our progress on the scale matters not. 

Here are a few reasons why Heather keeps on the ride.

Hiking Heather!

Heather's Journal

The hike to this view was really really hard 

for me my first time.  I look forward to 

being able to keep up with everyone on future hikes and get 

to see some more spectacular views.

I really feel like there's no turning back from this lifestyle now because I feel so much better/happier :)

Things that motivate me to keep going: 

I think one of my favorite activities, backpacking, will be more enjoyable because I will be able  to hike further into the woods.  My hubby and my dogs will love to go on more adventures too.

I really did hold people up on these past backpacking trips, and not just because I collect 

leaves and take self-portraits with my phone…. It because I was so out of shape and I would get 

out of breath.  In the past year of training with Meche, I have had such great progress, that I cannot 

wait to go do some more difficult trails next summer J

Mazzy and Kharis, our mutts, just hoping I’ll take them for a hike.

I like to paint, whether murals (large one shown above) or oils or watercolors. 
The murals can be particularly taxing physically. 
Taking better care of myself will help me to do more good work, pain free.

Sponsored By:

FitBody Studio

Status Symbol Auto Body

Concrete Expressions